Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,217 per month in Lisbon vs $678 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,245 per month in Lisbon vs $1,080 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,272 per month in Lisbon vs $1,481 in Chengdu, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 227% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while Chengdu is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.77

$2.75 ¥18.59

473.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €54.5

$23.57 ¥160

165.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.19

$4.95 ¥33.50

112.93%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.41

$2.83 ¥19.16

-2.12%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.43 ¥2.94

430.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.30 ¥2.04

416.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.09

$1.13 ¥7.66

214.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.47

$2.04 ¥13.78

95.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.73 ¥11.69

-37.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.46 ¥9.86

21.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$0.88 ¥5.93

101.14%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.72

$1.92 ¥13.02

62.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.64

$13.60 ¥92.0

-1.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.98

$3.49 ¥23.65

128.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.89

$11.13 ¥75.4

43.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.84 ¥12.45

23.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.18 ¥7.99

38.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.45 ¥9.81

36.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$1.03 ¥6.95

137.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$0.65 ¥4.41

172.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$0.70 ¥4.72

181.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$0.57 ¥3.86

245.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.70

$0.57 ¥3.83

40.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.70

$3.32 ¥22.45

96.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €5.01

$5.42 ¥36.67

6.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.00 ¥6.79

32.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.60

$1.81 ¥12.24

65.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.04

$0.44 ¥2.98

431.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €40.01

$28.20 ¥191

62.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.71

$1.24 ¥8.39

243.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.74

$0.28 ¥1.90

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.45

$4.29 ¥29.06

339.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.13 ¥7.65

83.19%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.2K €30.8K

$19.1K ¥129.3K

84.53%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$38.6K €33.7K

$16.4K ¥110.7K

136.05%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$151 €132

$44.00 ¥298

243.48%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.91 €18.24

$11.53 ¥78.0

81.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.50

$11.65 ¥78.8

239.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €42.22

$23.99 ¥162

101.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.24

$11.57 ¥78.3

60.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.89

$5.65 ¥38.21

60.00%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$610 €532

$342 ¥2,316

78.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$12.2K ¥82.7K

33.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.3

$37.58 ¥254

169.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €35.41

$39.35 ¥266

3.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €81.2

$66.0 ¥446

41.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$50.6 ¥343

134.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,398

$312 ¥2,108

414.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,081

$180 ¥1,220

587.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,634

$624 ¥4,220

384.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,798

$327 ¥2,213

530.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,963

$3,850 ¥26.1K

107.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,955

$1,945 ¥13.2K

133.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,421

$1,264 ¥8,556

28.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.21

-9.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,603 in Lisbon versus $312 in Chengdu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 29% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Lisbon versus $24.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $194 – making Chengdu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon, $678 in Chengdu – roughly 227% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,325 per month in Lisbon and $1,017 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Lisbon and $24.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,217 in Lisbon and $678 in Chengdu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chengdu, where all-in costs run around $678, than in Lisbon at $2,217. In Chengdu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $678 in Chengdu to $2,217 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.